I think you are on to something with your thought. Contemporary comic readers need contemporary writers telling contemporary stories. The books from fifty years ago, even if they were repackaged and reprinted, really won’t sell as well as solid new reimaginings, like you suggested. I suppose it may be one reason why Marvel brought back The Ultimate line.
But I’m also ready for new stories, which is why Phenomena is such a great thing. New world, new stories, and fantastic art.
Yeah, we can (and should) have both: superhero comics and the rest. They help each other. Bringing back the Ultimate line is just another sign of publishers trying something (like DC did a few years ago with the new 52) and giving people an easy option. Problem is soon enough things tend to get too complex with tie ins and crossover events. That's why I think we need a more diverse approach, with different kinds of books, and less interconnected, with more independent things happening. The shared universe is great, but after a while it becomes impenetrable.
I came very late to comics and the problems you have identified are spot on. I read both mainstream and manga comics and, manga is much more accessible and self-contained. I do not read Marvel or DC because I am 50 odd years behind with all the back stories. I have found publishers such as image much more accessible as there are so many franchises that I could access from the ground floor. Books such as "All the Marvels" helped in identifying the main narrative threads, but too much is published too frequently to catch up. Reading guides make it worse by listing reams of volumes I need to read to understand the current iteration.
I'm not sure what the solution is. But if the industry wants to attract new readers, it has to do something different.
I'm not sure either, but it's definitely something less interconnected and with more independent titles. Stuff that people can easily get into. It's a great feat to have a shared universe for all titles, but is something that complex really an asset to storytelling? Because that's what we're to do, share stories.
I think you are on to something with your thought. Contemporary comic readers need contemporary writers telling contemporary stories. The books from fifty years ago, even if they were repackaged and reprinted, really won’t sell as well as solid new reimaginings, like you suggested. I suppose it may be one reason why Marvel brought back The Ultimate line.
But I’m also ready for new stories, which is why Phenomena is such a great thing. New world, new stories, and fantastic art.
Yeah, we can (and should) have both: superhero comics and the rest. They help each other. Bringing back the Ultimate line is just another sign of publishers trying something (like DC did a few years ago with the new 52) and giving people an easy option. Problem is soon enough things tend to get too complex with tie ins and crossover events. That's why I think we need a more diverse approach, with different kinds of books, and less interconnected, with more independent things happening. The shared universe is great, but after a while it becomes impenetrable.
I came very late to comics and the problems you have identified are spot on. I read both mainstream and manga comics and, manga is much more accessible and self-contained. I do not read Marvel or DC because I am 50 odd years behind with all the back stories. I have found publishers such as image much more accessible as there are so many franchises that I could access from the ground floor. Books such as "All the Marvels" helped in identifying the main narrative threads, but too much is published too frequently to catch up. Reading guides make it worse by listing reams of volumes I need to read to understand the current iteration.
I'm not sure what the solution is. But if the industry wants to attract new readers, it has to do something different.
I'm not sure either, but it's definitely something less interconnected and with more independent titles. Stuff that people can easily get into. It's a great feat to have a shared universe for all titles, but is something that complex really an asset to storytelling? Because that's what we're to do, share stories.